Transmission gear for autovehicles



p 1927' G. o. HOWE-TH TRANSMISSIONGEAR FOR AUTO VEHICLES Filed No Is,1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 TIE. .1.

uvantoz George 0. jfowef/i 7 1,642,609 p 1927' G. o. HOWETH TRANSMISSIONGEAR FOR AUTO VEHICLES Filed No? 18, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 {5 nwmtoz 4George Q/Yowe/fi, v 16 @4441 W 7 E flttownq Sept. 13 1927.

G. o. HOWETH TRANSMISSION GEAR FOR AUTO VEHICLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed.Nov. 18, 1925 -TIE. E

Sept. 13, 1927.

v G. O. HOWETH TRANSMISION GEAR FOR AUTO VEHICLES 4 Sheets-Shea 4 FiledNov. 18 1925 Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

UNETED STATES 1,642,609 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE O. I-IOWETH, F IVIORATTICO, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TOWILLARD D. NEWBILL, OF LANCASTER COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

TRANSMISSION GEAR FOB, AU'TOVEI-IICLES.

Application filed November 18, 1925. Serial No. 69,853.

This invention relates to transmission means for auto vehicles andparticularly to gear shifting devices of the sliding gear type. Theinventionproposes the construction of simple and eiiicientspeed-changing mechanism in which the gears are readily changed from onespeed'ratio to another without clashing, and without its being necessarythat the driver should udge the i correct relative speeds of the gearsabout to be enmeshed, prior to making the shift.

The invention further concerns itself with a novel and easily'operatedgear shifting handle preferably located on thesteering post adjacent thesteering wheel, arranged so as to effect progressive passage of thegears through all forward speed positions by a continuous arcuate sweepof the shifting handle in one direction, there being a neutral positionbetweeneach forward speed position through which the gears will pass asthe shifting means is continuously actuated. Areverse'speed position ispreferably located at one end of the arcuate path of movement of saidshifting means.

The invention has for its further object the provision of a gear lock socorrelated with the clutch and transmission mechanism as to hold thegears lockedwhile the clutch elements are in engagement, andautomatically operable, upon 'declutching, to unlock the gears, saidcorrelated elements including'means providing lost motion between theclutch and gear lock, ensuring that the clutch shall be entirelydisengaged before the gears are released and that the shifting of thelatter shall have been completed be-' fore the clutch is thrown in.

With these objectsin view, theinvention resides inthe novel arrangementand combination of elements shownin the drawings, described in theaccompanying specification and defined in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view.

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2'2 of Figure 1. V i I Figure3 is a view in perspective of the linkage providing lost motion betweenthe geardeCk and clutch operatingmechanism. Figure 4 is a section takenalong the line 4% of Figure 1.

igure-5 is a section taken along the line 55 of Figure 1. v

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinalsection through the gears.

Figure 7 is a section taken along the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a plan view showing the clutch and hand controls and theconnections therefrom to the gear shifting mechanism.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the steer-v ing post showing the gearshifting lever.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the same.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral 1 representsthe gear box of the power plant of an auto vehicle, 2 being the clutchhousing, and 3 the universal joint between the gear box and drive shaft.lVithin the gear box is journalled a lay shaft 4 carrying a constantlydriven sleeve 5 furnished with integral gears 6, 7 8 and 9, the lastnamed gear being in constant mesh with an idler gear 10, Figure 2, forreversing the motion of the auto vehicle in a manner well known. Thegear 6 is in constant mesh with a gear 10, the latter being driven fromthe engine through the usual clutch, not shown. The structure describedup to the present point is conventional in automotive transmissionmechanism and it is to be understood thatthe sleeve 5 with the gearsthereupon, and the idler gear 10 are in constant rotation while theclutch is in engaging position, but come to a rest when the clutch isreleased. The drive shaft 11 enters the gear casing in parallel relationto the lay shaft 1, said shaft being journalled in the usual manner in arecess 12 formed in. the gear 10. That part of the drive shaft whichpasses through the gear box is splined as shown at 13. This also is ofusual con struction, but the sliding-gear sleeve 14 is 15 and 16respectively, in contradistinction to the usual type of sliding-gearmechanism in which the low and intermediate gears are carried uponseparate sleeves, and shifted independently by different movements of acontrol lever.

is in mesh with the gear 8 on the sleeve 5,

in which position power is transmitted from the gear 10 through the gear6, the sleeve 5 integral with the low and intermediate gears lit) lit)

and gear 8 to the near 1.3 and drive shaft ll the ratios between thegears and imparting a. low speed to the auto vehicle. ll'hein the gearuare =hitted so that the gear to eomes into mesh with the idler gear 10,power is romnnmi-ated trom the near 10 through the gear t3, sleeve 5,gear 9, and idler gaar it) to the gear to and drire shatt t1, thedirection oi rotation of the latter being changed by the intervention otthe idler gear ltl. ll'hen the sliding-gear sleeve It is rhi'i tod so :uto br ng the near 16 into Inrah with the goat. T, the drive shatt: isin. intermodiate or oeroud speed. it will he noted that the dia'aneebetween the gears l5 and 16 on the sliding gear sleeve ll in ltnS thantho distance between the gears 8 and T upon tho sleeve 5, no that: thereis a neutral position letaveen the shift from low to high near it beingllllptr fiil lt tor the. gearia upon the olid iing-ot-ztr oleoro i-itohe in mesh. with two of the gears on the sleeve :5 at the same time.\Vhen tho strove 1 1- is moved still Further to the right: as viewed inlf'grnre (t, the neat.- it; assumes a neutral position between the gear7 and the gear 10. and then upon 'l'urther movement of the ole-e *e 14;in the saint) dirertiion the internal teeth 19 of the our to mesh withthe teeth of? tih-a gear ltL thereby estahliahing dirert drivingrelation betwren tho near it) and the drive shat't 11. Thin is the highgear ponition ol the transmission mechanism. It is apparent that. as thesleeve moved :trom the left poaition hou'n in liigg'ure it to theextreme position at the right. the gear? are enmeshed pronrrsaivel v inthe dilllerent ratios from low to high the intervals during whieh thogtatt'H on the sleeve l-tdo not interment] with the wars on the alreveti and with the near flt) Wlllt'll deilne tho neutral 1)t l-'llltllltibeing so ahort that there in t-illldfhlllllllilll v no lomt motionbetween one enmeohed position of the gears and the next. no that; verylittlo dittrreutial movement between the engine and vehirlo inprtn'lnred during the nhilt intr in terval, tho result being that thereis no clashing of gears nor in it neeen ary For tho driver ot thevehirle to use his judgment; an to the rorreet relative speeds ot" motorand v-ahieio at which the nh ti ot nearnhould be made. 7

The yoke 18 its nlidably mounted in a slotted guidevar 20 formed in apreferably two-part easing ill which attached in any desired manner totho t-itlO ot the gear boa; the latter beinn; provided with a slot in reistry with the islottejl guidewa r. to permit extrusion of the arm 2:3which forms part; ot said voice. ll ithin tho znitjlewa slides a raol:har The range ot movein-ant permitted the rnoh, bar hy tho length of thes otted nuidoway and ot the slot: in the side ol' the gear box is suchan to permit the sliding-gear sleeve hit to travel from its roverooposition on the loft to the high gear pooition on the right (Figure (3).

The raeli bar operated by mounts of a gear Qel carried on the lowerportion 0'! a vertical stub shaft join-nailed in heat-intro in the upperand lower parto oi" the easing: 21. A lever 26 is keyed or otherwisecured to the upper projecting;- end ot the stub shaft 2f, whieln througha system ot': lll'lilage lI'lCltttlil'lfl the rod 27 hell-rranlc lever28, rod 2th and lever 30 in operattively connerted to a stub shaft 31carried in a fitting: stationarilr mounted with reaper-t to the ftrai'neof th: auto 'vehielo, said shatit heil'ig o;- ;eillatod by a handle 33nrenately ino'vahl cont-ontrieally of the steering wheel oll th autovehicle, whieh rotates a tube ii? extendr ing through the steerin eohnnnand eonneeted with the stub shat hy' internnnzhinn" seniors 35 and 36.

The handle 33 moves aeronn a(1tunlrant1ttpon which the several positionoo't gear shift are suitably indieat'eth beginning with reverse at theleft hand movement o't said handie and continuing progressively throughlow, interinedia 1e and high speed positions, the latter being; at theright; hand limit ot aaid handle. with a neutral. position between earhot? the torward speed ruisitions. it will he observed from Figure it)that; tho handle ltlOTtt-t through an areuato rangro ot 180', while theangular IUUVOllltBHlL ot the gear appreciably lens than asemiriroumterror-e. The linkage eonneeting said gear with thent'oe'rinn' post operating nu-ehanium is s-o desinnetil an to produtothis ditferential rainz tot' angular mmement. The usual throttlo andspark control lovers )1? and 238 may ho ponitioned so an to operate uponthe oppoai to side of the quadrant from the gear ol'iitt lever no that aningrlx annular member may uorro the purpor esa of all. threo levereu anshown.

The gear lork Comprises rmiperrtzing montbera ineluditng a keeper drum 3tixed to tho stub shaft, 2:), and a eotnierating pluinrer 4o slidahlyarranged within a bore l l in the caning 2! extending radially withrespertx to tile, axis of .t id atuh shaft. The drum in provided withnotrnen til tot-mod an dihedr: l

angles hating; vertical apiees, the faces ot.

said angles interaeeting each other in the eireuniferonee of the drum soas to provide ed es 43 between adjaeont notches. The nun'iber of notchesequals the number of gear shift positions including the reverso and allneutral positions. The end of the plunger in formed wi h acorrespondingly tapered end 41%; engageable with tho notches in such aray that it must find afinal seat; in one ot tho notches, it beingimpossible for it to eontact with one of the edges 4-3 without; slidingin one direction or another into a notch. The

thi

til:

too

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lock isthus positive andcertain in its action and the plunger 40 isoperated bymeans connectedwith the clutch operating mechanism.

It does not seem necessary here to enumerate the elements of theclutchor the operating means therefor, these being of usualconstruction, except to state that the thrust collar 45 is pressedagainst the thrust-plate 46 by allover: 4T mounted upon a vertical pivot.48carr1ed bythe clutch housing and having a forked inner end 49embracing the driving shaft and abutting against the rearward face ofthe thrust collar. The outer end of the lever 47 is loosely connected toa link 50, the forward end of which is connected in similar manner to abell crank lever 51- carrying the clutch pedal 52, hen the clutch pedalis depressed the inner end of the lever 47 .is

fill

rocked against the thrust collar to en gage the clutch in a well knownmanner.

' In order'to connect the gear lock with this mechanism I have mounted apost 54 in any suitable manner upon the clutch housing and provided itwith a shouldered bolt 55 afford- I ing a fulcrum for a bent lever 56,which carlever 56.is rocked in a direction to permit the plunger 40 tomove into locking position with respect to the keeper drum 39. henpressure is removed from the pedal 52 so as to permit thevthrust collar45 to resume its normal position of clutch engagement, the lever 56swings in the opposite direction releasing the locking means.

It is essential that the shifting of the gears be not attempted untilthe clutch is conr pletely disengaged, nor should it be possible for theclutch to resume its normal position of engagement until the gears havebeen completely shifted. This is automatically taken care of by thepresent invention in'which a pin and slot connection is provided betweenthe plunger 40 and the link 5'7 affording lost motion between saidparts, the plunger being normally biased in a locking direction by meansof .aspiral spring 59. VVhen'the clutch collar 45 moves toward releaseposition, the pin 60 moves from one end to the other of the slot 61before the plunger 40 begins to be withdrawn from the keeper drum 59.lVhen the clutch collar moves towards position of engagement the plunger40 re sumes locked position with the keeper drum 39 before the pin 60begins-to move back to its original position at the opposite end of theslot- 61. \Vhile I have provided the slot in the link 57, it is tobeunderstood that the parts might be reversed, the pin being car riedbysaid link and the slot being formed in the plunger 40. Althoughlthepresent in-? vention will probably find its greatest field of usefulnessin power plants designed particularly for its installation, yet it isreadily adaptable to existing types of gear shift,

principally by the substitution of the unitary sliding gear sleeve 14for the sliding gears found in the conventional gear box, and theattachment of the casing 21 to the side of the gear box, the latterbeing suitably slotted. The adaptation of the specific elementsessential'to the operation of my invention, in

present-known installations requires a com paratively little redesigningor reconstruc- :4,

tion of the several parts;

It is to be understood that, whileI have herein disclosed anillustrative embodiment of my invention, the invention is not confinedto the specific structure shown, but is capableof wide variation in theform and arrangement of parts,being restricted only bysuch limitationsas are expressly defined iii the appended claims.

"Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In transmission gear, a gearbox, a'lay V shaft supported within saidgear box, a sleeve journalled thereupon having spaced gears ofdiiterentsize driven from an engine operated gear, a sliding gear unitwithin said gear box in operative relation to said driven gears, oneside of said gear box being formed with a slot, a casing secured to saidgear box having a slot registering with the slot in said gear box, saidcasing being formed with a guideway, arack bar in said guideway having aportion projecting through said slots into said gear box, a yoke on saidportion engaging said sliding gear unit for actuating the same, a gearjournalled within said casing meshing with "said rack bar, a hand leverultimately connected to said last named gear and clutch actuated lockingmeans for locking said gear against rotation while the clutch is inengagement.

2. In transmission gear, a gear box, a sleeve journalled thereuponhaving spaced gears of different size driven from an engine operatedgear, a sliding gear unit within said gear box in operative relation tosaid driven gears, one side of said gear box being formed with a slot, acasing secured to said gear box having a slot registering with the slotin said gear box, said casing being formed with a guide-way, a rack barin said guideway having a portion projecting through said slots intosaid gear box, a yoke on said portion engaging said sliding gear unitfor actuatingvthe same,a gear journalled in said casing, a hand leverultisaid geaiu eaid locking means ineluding a drum hxed relatively toSaid last nalned gear having peripheral nidentations eorre- .--pond g toall speed and neutral positions oi said gear shift, and a plungerEllilflbl y mounted in said easing having the end thereof engageahleWithin said indentations, and

nu-ans r sponsite to the operation 01 the shitting mechanism Within saidgear hex, one side of the latter being ittnfnled with a slot, :1 :asingsecured t Laid gear box having a slot registering with the slot. in saidgear hex, said easing being formed with a guidewatv, a rack bar in saidgniden'ay having a portion projecting through said slots into said gearbox into operative relation to raid gear ehiiting nuxehanisn a gearjoin-nailed Within aaid easing meshing with aid raeli her, a hand leverultimately eonneeted to said lent nanled gear, and clutch actuatedllii'h'llig means inehiding a drum lined 1'elati\el' to said. lastnan'ied gear haw ing peripheral indentations corresponding to all speedand neutrzl positions of said gear ahit'ti and a Iflunger slidahlymounted in said eaeingz; having the end thereof agageahle Within saidindei'itatimis Said heing normally spring-presned net said drum, andmeans 1' isponsive to p t i l n ger tlfil ,:peration of the elutehrelease i'neans hetore \VilTlKl'it wing the plunger against spring piesare and nnanitting the return of said plunger under spring pressurebefore the tinal inmelnent oi" eluteh engagement.

in testimony n'hereol' l have hereunto set my hand.

(ItI'GURGIC (J. l-ltHVIQTil.

